May 27, 2025
Ryan Fagan steps over a fallen tree near the corner of Maffitt Place and North Euclid Avenue last week. Fagan, a senior public relations writer, was one of several University of Missouri–St. Louis staff members who volunteered to help clear fallen trees and branches that were knocked down by the tornado that ripped through a 23-mile long section of the St. Louis area on May 16. The tornado, which reached EF-3 classification — indicating sustained winds of at least 150 mph — was at its most destructive from Forest Park through the area of North St. Louis in the vicinity of The Ville neighborhood, a few miles east of the UMSL campus. Fagan and other members of the UMSL’s Marketing and Communications office volunteered to help clear debris and deliver much needed supplies to local residents impacted by the storm.
In a letter to students, faculty and staff on Tuesday morning, Chancellor Kristin Sobolik encouraged people to volunteer. She also encouraged them to log their service hours at Tritons Together for St. Louis and share photos or a brief story about their experiences, helping the impact of the UMSL community is making across the region. This photograph was taken by Jeffrey Rivet from UMSL Marketing and Communications and is the latest to be featured in Eye on UMSL. View more UMSL photos by visiting the UMSL Flickr and Instagram accounts.
